Nothing New is Sweeter
by Ruan Chun Xian
Summary: For most couples, the marriage ceremony is only performed once. For Yong Qi and Xiao Yan Zi, maybe third time is the charm. Or: if nothing happened on the first night, what happened on the second? (a two-shot)
1. One

**Nothing New is Sweeter**

_Moats and boats and waterfalls,_  
_Alley-ways and pay phone calls,_  
_I've been everywhere with you._

_We laugh until we think we'll die,_  
_Barefoot on a summer night_  
_Nothin' new is sweeter than with you_

* * *

_The next chapter of_ The world may be tiny but the heart's enormous _is being difficult and I have a feeling I won't get much done until I get this out there. _

_There is not much that merits __the rating__ in this chapter, yet, but keep in mind that the next chapter will be very much M-rated._

_Here goes nothing. _

_For Leia, who held my hand through this. _

* * *

**One**

In theory, after the ceremonies and the wine and everything else, there would be guests waiting for Yong Qi outside and he would need to go out and receive their congratulations in the form of more wine.

(Sometimes Yong Qi wondered whether the whole ritual of congratulatory wine was a thinly-veiled attempt to give bridegrooms a chance to get so absurdly drunk so that even if they didn't like their bride, what needed to be done would get done anyway. Assuming they didn't pass out before the event.)

Considering it was late into the night when everyone was in their proper places, however, and the guests have more or less drifted off by that point, Yong Qi did not at all regret losing that part of the wedding, nor the wine. He really would rather not be intoxicated on his wedding night, thank you.

So in the end, beside the wine with Xiao Yan Zi, he (and Xiao Yan Zi) only had another cup of wine, with the "thieves" who were spying outside their door, before shooing their giggling and smirking friends away.

They were left alone (_really alone_) for barely a few minutes, enough time for Yong Qi to realise, considering both of them likely slept little the night before (or at least, he knew he slept very little the night before due to the anticipation), have been up since the crack of dawn and gone through an extremely emotionally draining day, and the very late hour, that it was unlikely that anything more exciting than sleep was going to happen that night at all.

For an instant, he considered doing away with sleep altogether. Then, no, they were exhausted; the wine would make Xiao Yan Zi nod off soon, he could tell, and they didn't have the _time. _

Just as he told himself this, there was a knock on their door and the maids came in to help Xiao Yan Zi get ready for bed.

He watched, silently yet unabashed, as Ming Yue and Cai Xia first helped Xiao Yan Zi to wash the makeup from her face with a damp cloth. Yong Qi beheld her natural face, unhindered by the heavy makeup, and thought that she looked infinitely more beautiful.

Xiao Yan Zi, who, ever since the maids entered the room, had been staring at the floor in nervousness and embarrassment, chose that moment to glance quickly up at him. Their eyes caught for a moment and Yong Qi knew he was radiating his desire for her in that brief gaze. A beautiful red blush flamed her cheeks and she glanced away again, looking at neither him nor the maids. Yong Qi could not look away, however, nor could he hold back a rather impish smile to himself. After all, she was his wife now – how wonderful that sounded! – it would probably be odd if he did not enjoy the sight of her.

Ming Yue and Cai Xia sat Xiao Yan Zi and undid her hair. Yong Qi found himself biting the side of his cheek to stop betraying his desires as he watched waves of black hair fell down Xiao Yan Zi back. His hands were clenched behind his back to hide the fact that they were trembling with the want to run through the silky smoothness. It was with disappointment that he saw the locks plaited into a long braid. Though it was probably more practical, it would be rather uncomfortable to sleep with such long hair unbound.

Xiao Yan Zi was eventually led to sit neatly on the edge of the bed. Yong Qi didn't follow, though he did turn to look at her, sitting there, staring determinedly down at her hands clasped in her lap. It seemed like eons before the maids gathered up everything and silently left them alone again.

He was alone.

She was his.

His wife. His _beautiful _wife.

They were alone. Truly. For the rest of the night.

She didn't look up at him, though he could tell by the way her hands clenched that she was trying to not nervously twist them.

Yong Qi approached her, cautiously, because he knew if he moved too quickly, he would be lost. As much as he desired it, he had to make it perfect for her, as well.

He sat down next to her, but still she would not look at him.

"Xiao Yan Zi," he whispered, tilting her chin up with his fingers. She met his eyes finally, the beautiful blush still on her cheeks. He was rendered speechless for a moment, just basking in the sight of her. His wife. _His Xiao Yan Zi_.

"You are beautiful," he whispered, smiling. She blushed even harder, if that was possible. He leaned in, slowly as to not scare her, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. The taste of her was exquisite, and he had to restrain himself before he scared her with how he truly wanted to kiss her. Thus, he only dared for the kiss to be brief, but it was still more passionate than any kiss they have ever shared and certainly longer than the kiss that their inconsiderate friends interrupted earlier. It made her gasp as he reluctantly and slowly parted from her, yet still resting his forehead against hers.

"That was nice," she sighed breathily.

He gave a rather shaky breath at the feather-light teasing of her breath on his face.

"Are you all right?" she asked, straightening, looking at him and sounding concerned at how tense he must seem.

"Yes," he breathed, "you just quite take my breath away."

"I didn't do anything," she said, puzzled.

"You are here, you are beautiful, that's enough," he said, still breathlessly.

She smiled and leaned into his arms again. Then she opened her mouth to…yawn.

Yong Qi burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, horrified. "I – "

Yong Qi was still chuckling. Taking her hand and squeezing it, he said, "Don't worry about it. I know you've had a long day."

He brushed a kiss against her temple.

"But what about – " she asked, hesitantly.

She was nervous, despite her efforts to be otherwise. At least she was not acting scared. He would not wish her to be, not when tonight it would just be the idea of it. Then again, he could not entirely assume that she was completely aware of what tonight was supposed to entail.

"Xiao Yan Zi," he said softly, cupping her cheeks gently, so that she looked at him. "Do you know what to expect of this night?"

He hoped Ling Fei had thought to speak to her of it, so at least she would not be totally innocent on the subject.

For his part, it sufficed to say that a prince's education could be very thorough.

"I – well, I know of the…mechanics of it," she said in a voice that denoted she was speaking under some great duress.

There was something in the words and the way she said them that alarmed Yong Qi. She must have understood his expression, however, because she immediately said, "I don't mean – I mean, I've never…It's just that, when you are a servant, sometimes you…see things, and men do not always respect their maids' wishes – "

He took both her hands and looked at her seriously. "Xiao Yan Zi, please tell me no one has ever tried to hurt you."

She gave him a smile that held no pleasure that he had wished he would not have to see that day. "No, you need not worry. I would not have allowed myself to get involved with you at all if I could not give you what you deserve – "

"That was not what I meant!" he exclaimed. Surely she couldn't think he was simply asking for the sake of her virginity alone?

He forgot, sometimes, the life she lived before the palace, and how horrific it truly could be for a young girl without protection. He chose not to think of it, not because he didn't care, but because he cared too much. He was sure if he ever thought of her life before him, always under the power of men stronger than her, and if he had allowed his mind to wander, he would have come up with all sort of horrible scenarios that would have been impossible to ask her about.

His fear must show now though, because she placed at hand on his cheek and called gently, "Yong Qi."

He looked at her, so precious to him, and could not bear the thought.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" he asked, choked.

"For caring. I didn't mean to alarm you. Truly, nothing so bad had ever happened to me."

He nodded with relief, and took deep breaths to get his emotions under control again.

Still, even with what she said, whatever she was forced to learn by accident could never have been particularly pleasant.

"Xiao Yan Zi," he said earnestly, "I promise you, whatever you think you know, when there is love, affection and _respect _such as we have for each other, it will be nothing but pleasure."

She nodded, and smiled softly.

And this, he thought, was all the more reason to wait until they had the luxury of time and alertness. So, for now, he only leaned in, and brushed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Don't be nervous or afraid," he whispered when their lips parted, "you have nothing to fear from me."

"I know."

"Though, tonight, perhaps sleep now?"

She looked up at him, startled, but then smiled sheepishly. "Sleep sounds good right now, actually."

Yong Qi chuckled.

"You don't mind?" she asked anxiously.

He shook his head, smiling lovingly at her. "It can wait. We have a life time together now. Right now, neither of us will ever keep awake tomorrow if we don't get some sleep."

Then, sliding off the bed and kneeling at her feet, he slipped her shoes off. It seemed like the safest place to start and it made her giggle.

He held out his hand and pulled her up to her feet. Then, stroking the collar of her gown with his fingers, he looked at her for permission. She seemed to take a deep breath, then nodded. He slowly undid the buttons on her gown, while she stared at somewhere in the vicinity of his shoulder. He only smiled at her bashfulness, however, and took in the sight of her from this angle – her dark, shining hair gleaming right under his eyes, a faint perfume wafting up, filling his senses…

The heavy gown was pushed to the ground, leaving her in a red blouse. Yong Qi gazed at the way her neck curved into the red silk and raise a hand to stroke the soft, smooth skin of her neck, which seemed to arc, causing her to look up at him.

Yong Qi gave her a gentle smile. His imagination would like to sweep her into his arms and place her on the bed, but his intellect told him that he loved her more than that, and that the reward of waiting now will be more pleasure than any swift consummation could bring.

She gazed at him for a moment, before a mischievous smile curled on her lips and she, in a moment of boldness, tucked a finger into the side of his belt at his waist and pulled him in closer to her. He allowed her this, and more, when she worked away at the button of his shirt and her small hands guided it off his shoulders.

For the sake of his own peace of mind that night, he forced his imagination back from thinking about the feel of her hands guiding another layer of clothing off his bare shoulders.

Yong Qi could see the way her chest rose and fell as she took deep breaths, looking up at him with a loving smile. They had never been this bare to each other before, though in reality both of them were still decently covered enough.

He leaned over and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, then another soft kiss on her lips. She drew her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, and his entire body seemed to suddenly become a thousand times more sensitive to her touch. He pulled her in by the small of her back and allowed himself to press his lips more ardently against hers, not enough to get himself lost in the passion, but just enough to satisfy his current cravings.

Somehow, he managed to guide her gently so that she lay down on the bed, with him next to her, a blanket over them both, so that they were entrapped in a cocoon of red fabric.

He turned and pulled her gently into his arms, resting his cheek against her soft hair. She snuggled up against his chest, the blanket almost covering the whole of her head, and he could not help but pull her closer, tighter. He could feel every curve that touched him through thin materials of their remaining clothings and it took all his willpower to only gently place his hand on her waist, and not dipping lower to slip under her shirt.

Tonight, he would keep it all chaste, as difficult as that seemed right then. It took him several deep breaths before he could speak in a tone that would not alarm her.

"Relax," he whispered, for she was as tense as he was, but probably for a different reason. "I'm not going to eat you, you know."

"It's just, this entire situation is so very new to me," she whispered, a bit muffled against his chest.

"I should hope so," he teased, and it made her give a nervous chuckle.

He pulled slightly away so he could look at her face. "I love you," he whispered.

Her expression seemed to melt into one of adoration. "I love you too," she said, smiling shyly. He ventured a slight kiss on her forehead, before whispering "Good night".

* * *

There were ceremonies the next morning that took what seemed like ages, but by early afternoon, they were free to spend the rest of the day however they wanted with each other. It was incredible, how on the first day of their marriage, they had to spend half of it in the company of others when all he wanted to do was to be alone with her.

"Are we done for today?" she asked as they made their way back to Jing Yang Gong. He resisted the urge to hold her hand in the middle of the garden though possibly no one could blame him if he did.

"Yes, thankfully."

They had reached the gate of Jing Yang Gong and he led her inside. She stopped in the middle of the hall, however, and looked around.

"What is it?" he asked.

She looked at him pensively. "I just realised I have no idea where anything is in this house. I think I know how to get from here to the study, and that's it."

Of course. She had never had chance to explore the house and was completely covered the night before being led to the bedroom. He chuckled. "Well, I can give you a tour, now."

The tour took a little longer than he anticipated because he could not help stealing kisses whenever they were free from the eyes of the servants, allowing his hands wander more than he previously dared. Xiao Yan Zi did not seem to mind, though he didn't think she could stop blushing. He also wasn't sure whether any of the servants caught glimpses despite his efforts to be discreet but he didn't really care. They were newly-wed, he was supposed to be all over his wife, especially considering the night before.

They passed the rest of the afternoon in each other's company until dinner came. He dismissed the servants from the dining room, allowing them to indulge in just each other's company. It was a rather more elaborate fare than he was used to, but it was hardly food that Yong Qi was hungry for, so he proceeded in making Xiao Yan Zi eat, much to her light-hearted grumbles.

After dinner, Xiao Yan Zi demanded that they played a game of weiqi.

It was not, overall, a great success.

Most of their exchanges went like this:

"Are you sure you want to make that move?"

"Of course! WHAT! No, I want to change my move." – At which point Yong Qi tried not to laugh and just let her change.

Or:

"Why on earth would you make that move?"

"It's called bluffing, Xiao Yan Zi."

"It's not bluffing if you tell me about it."

"Can you see _what _ the bluff is?"

She pouted and stuck her tongue at out at him.

Or:

"_Stop it_!"

"Stop what?"

"Staring at me!"

He smirked. "Why?"

She blushed and squirmed in her seat. "It's weird," she mumbled, looking around the room, where there were only the two of them.

"We've been alone before."

"Yes, but not like this," she said, waving her hand around vaguely.

He smiled, but didn't say anything.

"Oh Heaven, stop it!" she said, blushing even harder now, burying her face in her hands.

Yong Qi laughed. "Xiao Yan Zi, there is something very wrong if I'm not staring at you right now."

Eventually, the entire game was abandoned, because even when Yong Qi was not remotely concentrating on the game, Xiao Yan Zi wasn't making much headway with it either.

"Yong Qi?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you think we can do it again?"

"Do what again?"

"The whole thing with the veil and the wine last night."

"_Again_?"

"Well, it's just that I want to, just once, have my wedding veil lifted and not get the urge to scream because it's Er Kang standing before me, or spend the entire ten seconds it takes for it to happen the second time holding my breath, desperately hoping that it's you and nothing's gone wrong again. I want to feel _happy _seeing you, not relief that it's over. And to drink my wedding wine without ten other people looking in at us."

He smiled and was looking at her with such love in his eyes that she blushed again and looked away. He grabbed her hands and kissed them both, before place a finger on her chin, tilting her face up to look at him.

"I didn't realise you were quite such the romantic," he whispered, his face very close to hers.

"Well, tonight is sort of our real wedding night, right?" she whispered back.

He smiled and brushed his lips against her forehead softly, understanding what she was not saying.

* * *

Xiao Yan Zi insisted on going into the bedroom first and so Yong Qi ended up spending a few moments alone the in study. When he decided that enough time had passed for her to get ready, he entered the bedroom with a tray bearing the wine and two cups.

The room was softly lighted with candles and Xiao Yan Zi sat neatly on the edge of the bed, a red veil thrown over her head, but in the clothes she had worn that day, not the wedding clothes.

He placed the wine on the table in the middle of the room before approaching her. Sitting down beside her, he could hear a soft giggle. He took one of her hands and raised it to his lips, kissing softly. Then, still holding her hand, with his other hand, he reached over and in one sweep, drew the red veil away from her face.

Xiao Yan Zi looked up at him and smiled radiantly. For a moment, like the night before, he could only stare at her, feeling immensely blessed that she was here, and she was his. The difference was, tonight, it was just them in the room, and he could stare for as long as he wished without worrying that someone would interrupt or of embarrassing her.

Then, quite unexpectedly, Xiao Yan Zi leaned in, and placed her lips on his, kissing him hard. Taken off guard, his arm found way around her shoulder for support, but still, he lost his balance and fell back onto the bed, more or less with her partially on top of him. She placed a hand on his cheek while his arms slid down to her waist, but neither of them made any attempt to immediately sit up. It was only when their lips parted and Xiao Yan Zi opened her eyes and saw how close their faces were, that she straightened and sat up, a blush on her cheek but her eyes shining with happiness. Clearing her throat and tucking a nonexistent stray strand of hair behind her ear, she looked up at him shyly, smiling. Yong Qi could only smile back, and kissed her hand again.

To give her a moment to gather herself, for she did look rather flustered at her own boldness, Yong Qi stood up and poured them two cups of wine. Then, handing one to her, he sat down by her side again.

"I promise you, my love, Xiao Yan Zi, that in this life, my heart will only ever love you," he said.

She gazed at him with a loving smile for a moment, then held her cup out. Together, their arms entwined and they drank, savouring the sweetness of the wine that was the symbol of the start of their life together.

* * *

_Chapter 2 to follow and complete in a few days.  
_

_PS: Oh, and this is, more than most, something I'd really appreciate comments on...I've basically already committed myself by posting this first chapter but there's a lot of doubt involved with this story and whether I should post the second which considering the subject and the rating, you can imagine why...so some prodding is appreciated..._


	2. Two

**_Heed the rating. This chapter is very much M/R-rated and contains sexual contents which is not suitable for children or anyone uncomfortable with reading such things. While I did try to be more suggestive than graphic, this is still far more explicit than anything I've ever posted before so proceed with this in mind.  
_**

* * *

**Two**

There was kissing and at some point, their outer clothes and shoes were divested of. They were enclosed now in the bed with the curtains closed, so that the whole thing looked like a very red tent. He beckoned her to lie back against the pillows and blankets and slid down to lie beside her, propped up on his elbow so that he could look into her face. He didn't speak at first, but only stroked her arm through the light silk of her blouse. It made her shiver, and she looked up at him from under her lashes, her eyes promising love and as much pleasure as he could ever anticipate.

"Yong Qi, I – " she started speaking, but then trailed off, looking slightly anxious despite everything. Of course, regardless of his reassurances the night before, she would be nervous now. It was only natural, and he hoped that the nervousness would make way for pleasure soon enough.

"It's all right," he whispered tenderly. "Do you trust me?"

Slowly, but surely, she nodded and grasped his hand in hers. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her, gently at first, but growing increasingly more ardent.

"Xiao Yan Zi," he whispered against her lips, before her lips claimed his again in another, even more passionate kiss. Her lips were soft and sweet, tasted of the wine they just shared and her kisses consumed him in an already overwhelming rush of love. His hand skimmed softly against her curves from her neck down to her waist through the fabric of her shirt. He wished to let his hand slide under the silk of the blouse to touch her skin, but then held himself back just in time.

Somehow, some sense managed to push through the haze of passion that was already taking over his head, and reminded him: _Slow._ He would have to force himself to proceed slowly. She deserved a gentle introduction to the pleasures they would share for the rest of their lives.

Yet still, she was kissing him, her hand at the back of his neck, caressing gently. He let his tongue explore her mouth, savoured in the taste of her, and it was a long time before they pulled away from each other for air.

"Nice?" he asked, smiling. She could only nod giddily. "There's more to that," he whispered, kissing her cheek, then trailing his lips down her neck, her throat.

"_Oh_," she gasped with pleasure as he laid open-mouthed kisses on her throat. The smoothness of her skin, combined with her scent, all intoxicated him, and that was not yet counting the way her throat constricted, rose and dipped under his lips as she inhaled deeply in vain attempts to calm her breathing. Her hand slipped from his neck to down to his arm and was gripping him tightly, twisting her fingers into the fabric of his sleeves.

"Do you want me to go on?" he asked, stroking her flushed face with just the tips of his fingers.

"Yes, please," she gasped, her eyes closed, such an expression of bliss on her face that Yong Qi felt light-headed. If she could look this happy with him just kissing her neck, when they were both more or less dressed, he could only anticipate her later reactions.

Brushing his lips lightly against her neck again, he slowly reached for the top of the button of her blouse. Her eyes flew open at the initial touch and she tensed slightly, but didn't stop him.

"Do you want me to stop?" Her eyes showed surprise, not fear or alarm, but he needed to ask anyway. Stopping was the last thing he wished to do right now, especially when they barely started yet, but if she did want him to stop, he had to somehow make himself, as impossible as that seemed.

Thankfully, beautifully, she gasped out, "No," her eyes sliding closed, not in dread, he was happy to note, but in a gesture of trust.

One by one, he undid the button of her blouse, helped her free her arms from it and pulling the shirt out from under her, tossing it to the corner of the bed. What she was left in was a very, very provocative and suggestive red dudou.

Of course, he had expected it, he knew it would be there, but that did not make seeing Xiao Yan Zi in such a garment for the first time any less alluring. Far from being frustrated at an additional layer to remove, he reveled in the sight. The red silk covered just enough and revealed just enough to make his mouth go dry and for his breaths to quicken. His hands were unusually sensitive and seemed to burn as they touched her skin, sliding up her bare arms to grasp her shoulders.

"Xiao Yan Zi, open your eyes."

She did, and he let himself get lost in the loving brown depths as she smiled up at him. He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers for a moment, breathing in her scent, basking in the sight of her so close. One of her hands found his and their fingers tangled together.

"You are so beautiful," he breathed.

She smiled and tilted her head up, arching her neck towards him, begging for a kiss. "Yong Qi, please…"

He leaned in and kissed her deeply. When he pulled away, it was breathlessly, and because if he did not stop now to say what he needed to say, he would never be able to be coherent enough to do it later.

Xiao Yan Zi made a soft sound of disappointment at the lost contact that made him smile.

"You know I have barely done anything yet, right?" he teased, and she pouted at him.

Brushing a soft kiss against her nose, he looked at her seriously now.

"Xiao Yan Zi, before we go on, I need to tell you this. If I do something that hurts you, or distress you, or you don't want me to do, you have to tell me and I'll stop, all right?"

"Yes," she answered, looking confused. "But I cannot think I would ever want you to stop what you've been doing."

He smiled. "Good, that's what I'm hoping for. And alternatively, you should tell me what feels nice, what gives you pleasure."

"Yes."

His hands began to explore the contours of her body, both his imagination and his conscious mind delighted in her every response, verbal and physical. The sounds of her breathing, of instinctive throaty moans, were music to his ears. As his hands slipped beneath the dudou, the feel of her skin was soft, stirring up in him the kind of want and desire that he never dared imagine before this night.

One of his hands left the delicate skin under her breast to drift down past the smoothness of her stomach.

"Xiao Yan Zi," he whispered, nibbling gently at her earlobe while one of his fingers hooked into the waistband of her trousers. He lifted his head slightly to look at her face. She opened her eyes wide, hesitated only for a moment before nodding slightly.

He moved slowly, not wanting to startle her, sitting up and placing a hand on her bare knees to stop her curling up, almost trembling himself at the contact at a part of her body that he had never touched before. He let his thumb caress the skin just above her knee as he swept his eyes up the length of her body. Her face was covered with a rosy blush, but she met his gaze.

There was only her dudou to remove, and for a moment he considered leaving it because he liked the sight of her in it too much. But then he wished to see it off as well.

So he gave her his hands and pulled her up to a sitting position with him and was delighted when she took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss his lips. For a few luscious moments, he forgot about anything else, except that his hands still traveled up the length of her body, and then slipped to the back of her neck, twisting the string holding the piece of silk up in his finger. He only pulled away slightly to search her eyes for permission again.

"Yes," she said softly, sounding bolder now. He grinned and swiftly tugged at the string. To his immense frustration and her mirth, it was apparently the wrong end. The garment string promptly became tangled.

She bit her bottom lip in an attempt to stop laughing. "Go on," he urged, smiling sheepishly. "You can laugh."

She let out a giggle. "You're supposed to pull the short string," she said.

"I'm too caught up with other things to decide which string is shorter," he answered. "Now what?"

"Try to untangle it. Or cut it," she shrugged. "The latter would be easier."

"Indeed," he muttered, opening the cabinet at the end of the bed and pulling out a short knife. "I hope you don't like this too much," he whispered against her neck.

"I'm more concerned with the fact that we've been married barely a day, and you're already holding a knife to my neck," she said with a giggle.

He tried not to laugh since he might just slip and really slice her neck in the process. In the end he managed to cut the string loose without mishap. As he turned back from putting the knife away, the red silk had fallen off her, and she was totally and beautifully bare before his eyes.

He sucked in a breath, taking in the wonderful sight before him and would have dived in to kiss her again, but then she held him back.

"Your turn," she whispered, her hand at his collar.

"As you wish," he said with a smile, though his body seemed to tremble with anticipation.

Her hands shook slightly on his skin, and there were blushes as they acquaint each other with what heretofore was unknown. As they sank back down onto the mattress in another kiss, hands roaming where they would, so that Yong Qi hardly knew which touch was hers and which was his. He could only savour the feel of her against him, loving the warmth of her in his hands. She fitted so beautifully that it was as if she was made just for his touch.

As desire was flamed inside him, he wondered how it was possible to love her this much. As his hands and lips found and mapped places on her body that made her gasp his name in ragged breaths, the only thing that seemed to exist was Xiao Yan Zi, the heat of their bodies and the passion that radiated between them.

The taste of her was a thousand times better than he could ever imagine or anticipate. As he parted her legs and his fingers pressed and traced a slow, torturous path up her inner thigh, Xiao Yan Zi's gasps first became earnest begging then became cries of joy. Between heated, whispered words of love, Yong Qi coaxed every first shudder and tremble of pleasure from her as she gripped the sheets beneath her in attempt to anchor herself.

When she floated down from the heights of bliss, and he drew his hand away to skim against the skin over her hip bone, she moaned at the lost contact. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him with a mixture of pure satisfaction and amazement. She seemed to glow with happiness and love beneath his gaze, and Yong Qi didn't think he had ever felt more in love with her. With such an expression, and with her skin flushed to his touch, so hot that even the silk sheets between them felt the warmth, he became desperate for her…he had never wanted as much as he wanted her now…

Cradling her body to him, Yong Qi leaned in, kissed away the last breathless gasps from her lips, and positioned himself over her.

Encouraged by her gentle caresses on his arms and the complete trust in her eyes, he moved as slowly and gently as he was capable, until she gripped his arm tightly and frowned slightly in pain.

"Are you all right?" he asked, though the words that came out were not as nearly as coherent as that.

"Yes," she hissed. "Don't stop…Just…slow…"

"Xiao Yan Zi," he whispered.

Nothing he could have ever experienced or imagined would have prepared him for this overwhelming onslaught of feelings and emotions so intense that it blurred everything out except Xiao Yan Zi. As he looked down into her lovely face, the pleasure was almost unbearable, as intense as the love. Both were washing over him, almost drowning him in a blinding need to move, to seek out the relief…

To give her time to adjust, he distracted himself by leaning down and kissing her, drowning out her raspy breaths that were much too arousing…

"I. Love. You," she breathed in between kisses, bringing a hand up to softly stroke his face.

After a particularly ardent kiss, he slowly pulled out of her, as to not startle her, hardly believing that he was capable of such restraint.

"No!" she gasped, looking at him frantically. "Don't…"

"Hush…" he whispered, kissing her still. "I'm not going anywhere."

He filled her again, this time her hips rose up to meet him, increasing the pleasure in such way that both of them cried out and Xiao Yan Zi's eyes slid shut at the sensation. There was such an expression of complete ecstasy on her face. He had made her feel this good. Oh, how much did he love her!

The whole world dissolved around them, and now, there were only Yong Qi and Xiao Yan Zi, ragged breaths that accumulated into a blissful oblivion expressed in frenzied, abandoned cries of delight. The feel of her clenching around him, convulsing beneath him and her voice in his ear only increased the strength of his own finish.

As they fell back against each other, utterly sated and undone, he kissed any part of her skin his lips came in contact with, and she brought her arms up to cradle his head to her.

"Yong Qi, so good," she murmured.

He smiled against her shoulder in agreement. "I so love you," he managed to gasp and raise his head just high enough to look her in the eye. She only grinned happily, pressing his head lightly down so that he rested on her again.

* * *

He must have fallen asleep, though he was not sure how long. He was still lying partially on top of her when he woke, and tried to get off – surely he must be suffocating her.

"No, don't," she murmured lazily. "Stay."

"It might be more comfortable for you if I lay on my back and you lie in my arm," he chuckled, rolling over and pulling her into his embrace. She snuggled closer to him.

"I didn't mind," she said. "Don't think I could mind anything after that…Will it always be that good?"

"Here's to hoping it gets better."

* * *

Since it was early when they retired and early still when they fell asleep, it was not too late when they woke again.

"You are amazing," Yong Qi breathed against her neck, before kissing the hollow base of her throat.

Xiao Yan Zi didn't think anything could possibly feel as blissful as she was feeling right then. She had never bared herself so completely to another person as she was this exposed to him this night, but instead of feeling uncomfortable about having his hands all over her, his eyes taking in every part of her, she could only treasure every moment of it, never wanting it to end.

She had thought that she loved him before, all the love that she was capable of. Now, she realised that her love could increase tenfold with every touch, every caress, and every kiss that they shared so intimately. It made her giddy just to think about how different his affections were now, when they were finally married. Gone were the chaste fleeting touches on the hand, gone were the gentle brushes of lips against hers. His kisses now were ardent and almost possessive, which she was only too happy to return. His hands left no part of her body untouched.

She knew he could feel the way her breath hitch now with the touches of his lips, the way her heart beat faster when he gently caressed her. She could not help but suck in a deep breath as he would pause from his delightful kisses to look at her, his eyes full of love. His hands would follow the path his eyes made, making her breathless with desire. His leisurely exploration of her body was teaching her exactly why marriage was supposed to be such a happy occasion.

"Yong Qi," she moaned as he slowly glided his lips down from her neck. It should be the shameful, really, the way he extracted such wanton expressions of delights from her, but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, his responses were quite the opposite. Her shallow breathing, her gasps and the sound of his name on her lips only enticed him to engage in a more thorough mapping of the points of desire on her body. It all made her wish that they could just stay like that forever, hot skin against skin, listening to each other's heart beats and sharing this wonderful warmth on a freezing winter night.

His hands were resting on the curve of her waist, as his lips traced the peaks and valleys of her body.

"_Oh_!" she gasped, her eyes flying open at the pleasure of his wet, hot kisses. He pulled away for a moment and looked at her, grinning. "Don't stop," she breathed.

"Of course not," he whispered.

She involuntarily arched her back in desire, her body seeming out of her control and there were only his hands at her waist and his weight on her body holding her down. He was pushing her to planes of pleasures that she had not before realise existed and was only too happy to explore again and again. The need filling her entire body was so great from the multitude of wonders that she hardly knew what she was saying, but it pleased him, as he chuckled against her skin, caressing and stroking in places that made her feel dizzy. It was not long before stars exploded in her eyes again. She let the wonderful bliss claim her once more, lost in the pleasure, and loving the wonderful sensation that was washing over her again. It still amazed her that it all could feel this good.

He was kissing the side of her mouth and she turned her head to claim his lips in hers, demanding and hungry, breathing in his breaths as her body slowly spiraled down from the crescendoing delight. He matched her kiss with the same vigour.

As she tried to regain her breath, lost both to delirious rapture and to his kiss, she tried to keep her eyes open and looked at him; her world at that moment was only him. He who could make her feel so good, he who could claim her pleasure like she never knew before. Her heart ached with love for him and she reached out to caress his cheek gently with the tips of her fingers, before letting them drift down his neck. He arched his neck to her touch and she smiled, but didn't pause in her path to reach down and stroke his chest.

"I love you," she whispered softly, still slightly out of breath.

"I know," he said softly, his eyes crinkling in a loving smile, grabbing her hand and kissing it.

As she settled against the warmth of his embrace, Xiao Yan Zi thought about how odd it was, that before their marriage, there were all levels of propriety that they had to keep, and they could hardly smile at each other in public too much before it became indecent. To remain alone together in an empty room, no matter how briefly would have been scandalous, not that it had exactly ever stopped they risking it before. And yet now, married, they were afforded such privacy and such freedom. She giggled at it all.

"What exactly brings you so much humour, my dear wife?"

She turned, raised her head and smiled at him. "I was just thinking, it's weird how things change so much after we marry. I can't believe we can have this much time alone together, and in such a state. And it's allowed." Then another thought occurred to her. "Oh Heaven, _everyone_ will know what we've been doing tonight won't they?"

The realisation was rather startling and not very comfortable. As much as this night had brought so much pleasure and joy, she also knew it was so incredibly private, it was something that she shared so completely with just Yong Qi that she was not sure she could take the knowledge that everyone would just _know_. It was not something she was sure she could even talk to Zi Wei about. She dropped her head down on his chest and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

He laughed and pulled his arms tighter around her. "Xiao Yan Zi, this is what we're supposed to be doing."

"But still…" she mumbled.

He chuckled again. "I think people would be worried if we were not doing this. Ling Fei was quite er – concerned this morning."

What did Ling Fei have to do with it? She looked at him, puzzled. "Ling Fei?"

"She came in this morning, right? What did she say to you?" he asked.

"She asked…" Xiao Yan Zi had not given the conversation with Ling Fei that morning much thought. It seemed so trivial. She had assumed that Ling Fei just wanted to see how she was after an exhausting day. But now, it suddenly dawned on her where Ling Fei's questions were heading exactly. She could feel blood rush up to her face, before leaving it with the same rapidity. "_Oh_."

Yong Qi still looked amused. She wanted to strangle him. She didn't see anything so funny about the situation. Now that she realised where Ling Fei was hinting, the conversation seemed so embarrassing.

"If it makes you feel any better, after not really getting a satisfying answer from you, she came and talked to me. It was…not comfortable."

"What did you tell her?"

"The truth. What else? It doesn't matter now."

She buried her face in his chest as she realised how much this night had changed her – changed them. She truly belonged to him now, in every sense.

"Xiao Yan Zi?" Yong Qi called, stroking her arm. She squirmed as his touch caused her to shiver. She knew he had a way of affecting her like no one else did, but this was bordering on ridiculous and alarming, the way she now reacted to the briefest of touches.

"I guess I can't run away from you anymore now, can I?" She pulled slightly away and smiled sheepishly at him.

He grinned back. "No, you are _mine_ now, and I have no intention of letting you go anywhere."

With that, Yong Qi leaned in and caught her lips in his in a fierce kiss.

* * *

**END**

A/N: So, that's that. Considering all the skirting around this subject I've done, I might as well just get this out there as well.

Thank you again for encouraging me to get on with it. There was a lot of "I-want-to-but-don't-want-to" post it angst to do with this.

I wrote part of this because after the first three chapters of _The world is tiny..._ I was wallowing in angst and depressingness and needed to escape to something fluffy and saccharine. I guess this fits?

**Oh, and dudou (肚兜) - look it up if you need to.


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